Avery Delaney's aunt Carolyn is certain her estranged husband sent her the reservation to the posh Utopia Spa in the mountains of Colorado. She figures it will be a welcome respite from the cutthroat advertising business, but Carolyn never makes it to Utopia. She's taken to an isolated retreat by a handsome stranger with a dazzling smile and the darkest of motives. His name is Monk, a hired assassin. Now, with scant clues and fewer resources, Avery must track down and save Carolyn.

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Publisher's Summary

Avery Delaney has tried to put the past far behind her. Abandoned by her rapacious, conniving mother when she was only three days old, Avery was raised by her grandmother and beloved aunt Carolyn.

Then, when she was 10, she saw her grandmother murdered in cold blood, before Avery herself was shot and left for dead. Miraculously, she survived. The killer was soon caught, convicted, and is currently serving a life sentence in Florida. This traumatic experience propels Avery into a life of law and order.

Her razor-sharp mind and ability to gather data and decipher evidence has made Avery an expert crime analyst for the FBI. But soon she will have to use every one of her skills on a case that hits painfully close to home.

Avery's workaholic aunt, Carolyn Salvetti, is certain her (soon-to-be ex) husband sent her the gold embossed reservation to the posh Utopia Spa in the mountains of Colorado. At first she is resistant, but then she figures it will be a welcome respite from the cutthroat advertising business, not to mention a networking extravaganza. Plus she persuades her niece to join her for the two weeks of luxury and decadence.

But Carolyn never makes it to Utopia. Under false pretenses, she is taken to an isolated retreat by a handsome stranger with a dazzling smile, suave demeanor, and the darkest of motives. His name is Monk, a hired assassin. Now, with scant clues and fewer resources, Avery must track down and save Carolyn - and outmaneuver a brilliant killer who is part of an elaborate plot of madness and lethal vengeance.

This is the first time I have felt strongly enough about a listen to write a review. I read these reviews before I invest $ and download a book so as a thank you to all of you out there that write reviews I will warn you about this one.
As a woman I think I can write this review about the female main character in this book without being classified as just sexist. I am personally tired of women in these type books that are supposed to be so tough and self-reliant but the first time they get cold they look to the man they are with and say to themselves " I'm cold - I wish he would hold me" Oh brother!
The amateurish writing of the dialogs in this book is supremely tiring. It has taken a lot of willpower to make me continue listening through these horribly adolescent sounding conversations to finally get to the conclusion of the book.
If you want non-reality type chick-lit with a hint of suspense get this one but if you want a real suspenseful story look elsewhere.

John Paul's story!!! I am really surprised at how many people are dogging this book! I love how Julie Garwood keeps you updated with characters from her past books in this series. I found myself laughing out loud MANY times. I consider myself a book freak and have over 800 books in my library and know that I will listen to this series again.

I'm a "guy" and this is the first I've ever listened from Garwood... my WIFE selected this one.

The story was ok and easy to follow... though I'm not much into the "steamy" love stuff as much as some might be. This is definately a "romance" story. I liked the different "points of view" of the characters and felt they were well-enough developed. The ending was reasonable and I didn't mind that an "epilogue" was used to wrap it up.

I enjoyed the narrator's different voices for characters and found the listening "easy". I probably WOULD listen to another by this author... but only if my wife selects it. I wouldn't say this is a "guy's guy" type of story but, then, I'm just SO in touch with my sensitive (feminine?) side!

Solid narration by Joyce Bean. She never fails to deliver a solid performance. KILLJOY is a surprisingly good romantic suspense. Not quite as good as the prequel, MERCY, but better than most of Garwood's contemporary novels. I was happy to see John Paul Renard play the role of hero -- he was great in MERCY. No stupid misunderstandings in the relationship between John Paul and Avery. I liked Avery's personality. Decent suspense with a few surprising plot twists. Some smexy scenes, too.

Garwood's most vivid character is the antagonist. That sociopathic, seductive siren brings to mind a cobra -- I felt unwillingly entranced. She's compelling and repelling. Quite the villain.

Poor Monk. I almost felt sorry for him. Garwood created an almost sympathetic villain, lonely, alone, and hungry for love. Compared to the psycho-siren, he was almost harmless. And that's saying a lot.

I also felt for Anne, one of the three kidnapped women. Unpleasant. Unlikeable. At least, till you understand why. Then, a shift in perspective. Nicely done.

This book is certainly not a testament to the faithfulness of married men.

Good to see Noah Clayborne again.

Quibble: I wanted to see the main characters from the prequel: Theo, Michelle, and even Big Daddy Jake. No such luck. I wanted a longer epilogue, set in Bowan, Louisiana.

This audio book is a genuine Killjoy. The plot limps along painfully. The dialogue is mundane and obnoxious. There is little suspense because Garwood chooses to explain many compelling scenes rather than show the reader. The ending is completely unsatisfying and anticlimactic as, once again, it is explained what supposedly happened instead of taking the reader through the events. Killjoy will kill your joy as it is complete waste of an audio credit and an excellent narrator.

I read this book a few years ago. It was a good read and I enjoyed listening to it recently. The characters are well developed and the story keeps moving. Even though this book is part of a series, you won't feel lost if you haven't read the other books. Good listening to you!

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